Review

Major System/ Platform Variant

Original Planned

Current Planned

Achieved/ Forecast

Variance (Months)

System Requirements/ Design

MRTT Aircraft

Feb 05

Feb 05

Mar 05

1

System Requirements

Simulation Devices

May 06

May 06

Oct 06

5

Preliminary Design

MRTT Aircraft

Jun 05

Jun 05

Jun 05

0

Simulation Devices

Sep 06

Sep 06

Jun 07

9

Simulation Devices Facility

Sep 06

May 07

Jul 07

10

Critical Design

MRTT Aircraft

Feb 06

Mar 06

Jun 06

4

Simulation Devices

Mar 07

Jan 08

Jan 09

22

Simulation Devices Facility

Apr 07

Nov 07

Jan 09

21

Final Design

MRTT Aircraft

N/A

Sep 06

Jul 07

10

Variance Explanations

The MRTT Aircraft Critical Design Review was conducted over a series of meetings from February to May 2006. Although design for the majority of the aircraft systems had been satisfactorily completed, the design for key elements of the aircraft mission system was not yet mature. "Practical Completion" of the Critical Design Review Milestone was achieved in June 2006; with a follow-on milestone (designated as the Final Design Review). Concurrently, evaluations of the new Remote Aerial Refuelling Operator console identified the need for changes to the cockpit layout. These changes were agreed as part of the Critical Design Review close-out and required a change to the conversion and test process, which was split into two phases: Phase 1 for structural conversion and civil certification, and Phase 2 for installation of the military avionics and military certification. Closure of the residual activities to achieve the Final Design Review proved problematic. These were progressively completed over the following 12 months.

Delays to completion of the MRTT Aircraft design process had a knock-on impact to completion of the Simulation Devices Critical Design Review.

Completion of the Critical Design Review for the Simulation Devices Facility was delayed due to redesign to accommodate increased security requirements.